Life: Why slowing down improves quality of life

Introduction: More time, more space, more life?

Do you feel like you're constantly on the go but never really arriving? Like every day is too short, every week is too full and every decision is made under pressure? Then you're not alone.

According to recent studies, over 67% of working people report feeling regularly overwhelmed or burnt out. Many cite overloaded calendars, constant digital noise and always being on call as the causes. This issue is about what we have lost: space. Time. The present moment.

We live in a society that values speed and productivity – but has forgotten how to pause. As we accomplish more and more, we lose touch with ourselves. Hecticness becomes the norm. And there is a lot at stake: mental stability, interpersonal relationships and joie de vivre.

This issue invites you to take a closer look: Where does the inner pressure come from? What patterns have crept in? And how can we design a daily routine that nourishes rather than exhausts us?

In this article, you will learn:

• What ‘hectic’ really means in the digital age – and why it is so difficult to break out of

• Why productivity apps do not solve your problems – but often mask them

• Seven brutal truths that show why you urgently need to change your everyday life

• An alternative concept for more clarity, less clutter and a more conscious life

Instead of further self-optimisation, this is about self-connection. Instead of efficiency fetishism, it's about emotional sustainability. And instead of higher, faster, further, it's about returning to a healthy rhythm.

You are not alone in feeling that things cannot go on like this. But there is a way back to the present – and it starts with the courage to slow down.

What does hectic mean – and why is it a problem?

Hectic is not a deadline. Hectic is a state of mind: a driven, fragmented inner attitude. It manifests itself in restless thoughts, impatient conversations, and the constant feeling that there is never enough time. Hectic is not just a symptomof modern working environments – it has become the basic attitude of an exhausted society.

You can recognise hectic by these patterns:

• You eat while answering emails.

• You have conversations while your mind is already on the next item on your list.

• You feel restless when nothing is going on.

• Your days pass by in a fog – you function, but you hardly experience anything.

Research confirms that constant hecticness increases the risk of mental and physical complaints, including:

• Increased susceptibility to anxiety disorders, sleep problems and depressive moods

• Poor concentration and impaired decision-making

• Increased emotional irritability and psychosomatic symptoms

• Alienation from your own needs and your overall attitude towards life

When the wheel of life keeps turning, we lose our balance. Hecticness robs us of our sense of the present – and with it, our ability to live consciously.

Seven brutal truths about hecticness

1. Hecticness makes you superficial

In a state of constant acceleration, there is no room for depth. Tasks are worked through, not understood; to create more money, more time, more space, you should rethink your priorities. Conversations are held, but not felt. The ability for genuine self-reflection disappears – because the inner voice needs silence to be heard, which is where minimalism helps.

2. Hecticness is violence against yourself

What looks like self-discipline is often self-neglect; you should urgently change your everyday life to avoid this. Those who overwork themselves live in a constant state of alert. Breaks generate feelings of guilt, and rest is confused with weakness. The result: chronic exhaustion and a body that is permanently on standby.

3. Hecticness destroys relationships

Relationships thrive on presence. But hecticness makes you inattentive. It narrows your view and leaves little room for empathy. Conversations become functional, closeness becomes a chore. Interpersonal connection takes time, openness and a genuine counterpart – not multitasking.

4. Hecticness pretends to be important

Being busy creates a feeling of being needed. But being busy is no substitute for meaning. A full calendar looks impressive – but what's missing is substance. Those who are constantly on the go lose touch with what is really important.

5. Hectic lifestyles feed FOMO

Digital platforms such as social media thrive on our restlessness. Push notifications, endless feeds and constant interruptions rob us of our ability to concentrate. The more hectic our lives are, the more dependent we become on external stimuli – and the more we are controlled by algorithms.

6. Hectic activity suppresses clarity

Clarity needs emptiness. It needs breaks, doing nothing, looking out of the window. Those who never allow themselves to pause lose the ability to distinguish between what is urgent and what is important, between habit and need, between noise and their inner voice.

7. Hectic lifestyles cannot be optimised away

The tools may get better – but the pressure remains. Because the real problem is not your calendar, but your basic pace. More efficiency is no way out if you lack moderation. An overheated system cannot be cooled down by better organisation. It needs a new foundation.

What you can do instead

12 ways to apply the 7 brutal truths about rushing

1. Hecticness makes you superficial

Try the following: Read recent blog posts on minimalism and put the ideas into practice.

• Read an article without doing several things at once – no tabs, no phone, just reading.

• Take a walk without your phone or headphones. Let your thoughts settle.

2. Hecticness is violence against yourself

Try the following:

• Take an entire hour every day to rest. Mark this time as ‘unavailable’ in your calendar.

• Start a routine to relax before bed. Dim the lights, turn off all screens and slowly drift off to sleep.

3. Hecticness destroys relationships

Try the following:

• Maintain eye contact during every conversation today. This slows everything down and strengthens connections.

• Leave your phone in another room when you eat with others.

4. Hecticness pretends to be important

Try the following:

• Say ‘no’ to something small today – without feeling guilty.

• Write down what success means to you (not for your job or Instagram).

5. Hecticness feeds FOMO

Try this:

• Turn off all non-essential notifications for 24 hours. See what happens.

• Remove all social media apps from your home screen. Make them harder to access.

6. Hecticness suppresses clarity

Try this:

• Write a page in your journal in the morning – let your thoughts run free. Don't correct anything.

• Set aside 10 minutes where you do absolutely nothing to create more money, more time, more space in your life. No tasks. No scrolling.

7. Hectic cannot be hacked

Try this:

• Delete a productivity app that you never really use.

• Plan a ‘low-stimulus’ day this month: no plans, no achievements, just peace and quiet.

A slower life is not a step backwards – it is a conscious decision. Those who rush less do not live less – they live more authentically. Start with small changes:

• Set aside specific screen-free times – e.g. for reading current blog posts on minimalism. B. 60 minutes in the morning or evening.

• Say no once a day – without explanation.

• Plan weekly ‘non-times’: no tasks, no goals.

• Keep a mini journal: three sentences every morning.

• Take one day a month to slow down – no appointments, no to-do lists.

These simple but effective measures will help you step out of the rat race and start shaping your life again. They strengthen your connection to yourself, create emotional buffers and open up new scope for action.

Conclusion: Why you urgently need to change your everyday life

Hecticness is not a sign of strength. It is a warning signal – and often a silent admission that something is missing: direction, which can be found by turning the wheel of life. Peace. Space. A life spent in function mode may seem efficient in the short term, but in the long run it makes you ill.

Those who are prepared to slow down gain more, not less – that is a principle of minimalism.

• More time, because it is used more consciously.

• More space – both internally and externally.

• More life – not in numbers, but in quality.

Question your pace to find out whether you urgently need to change your everyday life. Not to stand still. But to catch up with yourself again.